Diesel-electric locomotive

ABSTRACT

A diesel-electric locomotive includes an assembly including a diesel engine and a generator, to which a drive unit can be connected. There is provision for the assembly to be replaceable as a module. For this purpose, it is arranged, for example, in a replaceable container.

[0001] The present application hereby claims priority under 35 U.S.C.§119 on German patent application number DE 10303716.0 filed Jan. 30,2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention generally relates to a diesel-electric locomotivehaving an assembly including a diesel engine and a generator to which adrive unit can be connected.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In diesel-electric locomotives, the diesel engine must beserviced more frequently than other components. For this purpose, it hashitherto been necessary for the locomotive to spend a long period oftime, usually several days, in a service workshop. As such serviceworkshops are available only at relatively large distances from oneanother. The servicing intervals and the locations of the workshops hadto be taken into account in the deployment plan of the locomotives. Ifthis was not possible, journeys of individual locomotives without atrain to a servicing workshop became necessary. If a defect occurred onthe assembly of a locomotive during its deployment, the locomotive hadto be towed to the workshop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] An embodiment of the invention is based on an object ofspecifying a diesel-electric locomotive which is required to bestationary for servicing work for a shorter time than was usually thecase hitherto. It is also intended that there will be no need for costlytransfer journeys to a servicing workshop and that the locomotive willhave to be towed away less often when there is a defect.

[0005] An object may be achieved according to an embodiment of theinvention in that the assembly of the locomotive can be replaced as amodule.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0006] By the assembly of the locomotive being replaceable as a module,this provides the advantage that, for servicing work which is necessaryon a routine basis and also in the case of a defect in the assembly, itwill be possible to replace the entire assembly quickly for an intact,newly serviced assembly. Such a replacement does not last nearly as longas a repair or servicing. Moreover, the advantage is obtained that thereis no need for a costly workshop to replace an assembly. All that isnecessary is a small amount of equipment, for example a crane, toreplace the assembly. Consequently, assembly can be carried out at anyrelatively large station. Advantageously, all that is necessary is tokeep replacement assemblies available at numerous locations. If acorresponding number of replacement assemblies are provided, it is notnecessary to completely remove any locomotive from circulation while anassembly is being serviced or repaired.

[0007] In particular, the advantage is obtained that the operating costsof the diesel-electric locomotive according to an embodiment of theinvention can be significantly reduced in comparison with the operatingcosts of a conventional locomotive. This is due to the fact that thediesel-electric locomotive according to an embodiment of the inventionhas a significantly higher availability level.

[0008] The assembly is arranged, for example, in a replaceablecontainer. Such a container can be advantageously particularly easilyreplaced and also used again. Owing to their square shape, it is alsoparticularly easy to store such a container.

[0009] For example, connecting devices are arranged on the container.Components of the locomotive can then be quickly and reliably connectedelectrically or mechanically to the assembly arranged in the containerby use of these connecting devices or couplings. The container does notneed to be opened for this purpose.

[0010] The container can be transported, for example, on a railwaywagon. This provides the advantage that the containers which are removedfrom a locomotive can easily be moved from any desired station to acentral servicing workshop. In the same way, the assemblies which havebeen serviced and repaired and which are located in containers can bemoved, using railway wagons, to the stations where they are needed.

[0011] The advantages obtained are that locomotives for servicing theassemblies no longer have to be moved into a central workshop. The timefor which a locomotive is stationary in order to replace an assembly isshort in comparison with servicing or repair of the assembly. Inparticular, an assembly which is arranged in a container can easily besupplied and also transported with a railway wagon. Costs and time aresaved in railway traffic.

[0012] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that thesame may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regardedas a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A diesel-electric locomotive, comprising: anassembly including a diesel engine and a generator, to which a driveunit is connectable, wherein the assembly is replaceable as a module. 2.The diesel-electric locomotive as claimed in claim 1, wherein theassembly is arranged in a replaceable container.
 3. The diesel-electriclocomotive as claimed in claim 2, wherein connecting devices arearranged on the container.
 4. The diesel-electric locomotive as claimedin claim 2, wherein the container is transportable.
 5. Thediesel-electric locomotive as claimed in claim 4, wherein the containeris transportable on a railway wagon.
 6. The diesel-electric locomotiveas claimed in claim 3, wherein the container is transportable.
 7. Thediesel-electric locomotive as claimed in claim 6, wherein the containeris transportable on a railway wagon.
 8. The diesel-electric locomotiveas claimed in claim 3, wherein components of the locomotive areconnectable at least one of electrically and mechanically to theassembly arranged in the container, by using the connecting devices. 9.An assembly for a diesel-electric locomotive, comprising: a dieselengine and a generator, to which a drive unit is connectable, whereinthe assembly is replaceable as a module.
 10. The assembly as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the assembly is arranged in a replaceable container.11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein connecting devices arearranged on the container.
 12. The assembly as claimed in claim 10,wherein the container is transportable.
 13. The assembly as claimed inclaim 12, wherein the container is transportable on a railway wagon. 14.The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the container istransportable.
 15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein thecontainer is transportable on a railway wagon.
 16. The assembly asclaimed in claim 11, wherein components of the locomotive areconnectable at least one of electrically and mechanically to theassembly arranged in the container, by using the connecting devices.